Here's Proof Rings of Power Trying Too Hard to Be Game of Thrones
Rumours suggest there’s an epic battle to come.
A report earlier this year showed that only 37% of viewers who watched Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power actually made it to the end of the season. Even before these figures were revealed, it didn't take a genius to work out that the show hadn't captured the audience's imagination in the same way as popular shows like Game of Thrones.
So it's no surprise that the showrunners were keen to create a second season that would win over TV fans and at least somewhat justify the $1 billion it cost the network. And it seems that their solution is to make it more like Game of Thrones.
Rumour has it that season 2 of The Rings of Power will feature a huge battle that will span two episodes, such is the scale of it. Now, I'm not saying that GoT has a monopoly on battle scenes. But it has made epic battles a real feature of its storytelling.
As much as we all loved the political chess game at the heart of Game of Thrones, Blackwater, Hardhome and the Battle of the Bastards were epic battles that helped define the show.
And that could be a problem for The Rings of Power. The money that has been thrown into the LotR TV series shows just how desperate Amazon is to make it a success. But it's going to have to find its own USP if it wants to be spoken of in the same breath as the Game of Thrones. Starting with season 2.
The rumour is that the massive battle will take place between the elves of Eregion and an army of orcs led by Adar (Sam Hazeldine). While this is a bona fide storyline, it does run the risk of fans having seen it all before. And if Season 2 is seen as just a copy and paste of HBO's hit, the series could end up being easily slain by the proverbial Arya Stark.
Game of Thrones was compelling television because it was new and different. The Red Wedding shocked viewers and showed us that literally anything could happen. Similarly, the Battle of Blackwater was more than just great television, it was a huge twist.
With moments like this in the bank, GoT was able to ride out much of its later decline. This is not a luxury Rings of Power can currently afford. So if the rumours are true, let's hope the writers of RoP have done more than just try too hard to be Game of Thrones.
Source: Forbes.